The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Storage space in vehicles, and especially in marine craft, is often limited and in demand. Many items are desired to be stored for later use or for emergency purposes. These items may include but are not limited to, food, water, other beverages, life jackets, floatation devices, maintenance items, fire extinguishers, flashlights, and first aid kits. For example, U.S. Coast Guard guidelines presently require that boats larger than 16 feet have at least one fire extinguisher; one sound producing device such as, but not limited, to a bell, whistle, or horn; and a signaling device such as, but not limited to, a flashlight, strobe, or flare. With respect to at least some of these stored items, it may be desirable for a user to be near the stored items for easy access, particularly in emergency situations. Often storage space is provided in, for example, pockets in the walls of the hull or vehicle or in substantially rigid storage compartments, such as glove compartments. These types of storage spaces are not often easily within the reach of a driver or operator of a vehicle, and they are often not removable storage compartments. There is a desire in the art to maximize the amount of storage space within the cabin area of a marine craft or other vehicle. There is further a need for storage compartments that are within reach of a driver, operator, or other user of a marine craft or other vehicle for times when quick and easy access to items is desirable.